iPad
A retired couple's investment in a condo unit yields unexpected dividends

 

Story Rod San Juan
Photography Zac Moran

Nature or Nurture? It is still a hotly contested debate as to what determines or causes individual differences. I agree with those who believe that a person is born with certain characteristics, but believe that the environment and personal experiences also shape the character and traits of each person.

The same can be said about architecture. Whenever space is created, it possesses character. But as the space interacts with people, its character deepens and develops personality. Now, when space interacts with people who want to change the space, the space is able to develop a new personality while still retaining some of its original character.

Sometime early 2008, Lory Tangonan made friends with Titus Santiago while working on a show together. Titus casually mentioned that he was selling his condo unit just a few blocks away from the condo that Lory was living in. Lory wasn't really interested in the condo, but her husband, Greg, was looking for a place to invest in. At the time, the dollar was losing value against the peso, and interest rates were so low they couldn't keep up with inflation. Greg wanted something that would hold its value and hopefully, even appreciate in worth.

Greg wasn't very impressed the first time they saw Titus's penthouse unit. Titus had not stayed there in eight months, so the place was dusty, hot and smelled old. Lory, however, immediately saw the potential of the place. More accurately, she saw the potential of the space. It was clear to her that whatever flaws the condo unit had could be fixed, and knew what was needed to make the space work.

Being a penthouse unit, the place was not limited to having a flat ceiling. Instead, it had a high ceiling that followed the slope of the roof. In the portion of the unit that didn't need a high ceiling, a small deck could be built that could be accessed from the building's ventilation stack. The gap between the deck and the roof presented an opportunity to put large clerestory windows that would greatly brighten the space. The antique wooden floors could be made to gleam again; an antique sliding door salvaged from an old house had charm and character, as did the kitchen counter, which was also made from wood from an old house. The large balcony was a big plus because it overlooked Katipunan Avenue, the sprawling grounds of the Ateneo University, and the hills of Antipolo. Lory and Greg decided to get the unit and renovate it as a place for their daughter to stay during her visits to the Philippines from the United States. Although Lory had clear ideas on how she wanted the condo renovated, she opted to get Nico Fernandez of H.R. Fernandez & Sons to help her transform the masculine bachelor's pad into a homier, more feminine and romantic space.

More of “iPad” and Condo Life in Condo Living, Volume 5, No. 1, 2010.